Hanging Out VS. Dating

HEYO! This week's blog will be all about dating! I'll be talking a bit about what "hanging out" has on the young single adult society and how that effects future marriage.

Dating.

What is a date? Here’s a good way to remember, the three P’s: Planned, Paid For, Paired Off. Simple as that. You plan an activity(doesn’t even have to be expensive), provide the means for it, and do it with just one person of the opposite sex. It’s really just a trial of how well you fit together!

My dating experience.

Okay, so I'm not really one to give dating advice because I honestly haven't had much experience in the field, haha. I've been on a few here and there and I just always wondered why. I feel like I'm a pretty enjoyable person to be around and not horrible to look at. Why don't I get asked out dates? This has been a question that's been on my mind for a long time. It honestly can be kind of hard sometimes too. I recently even asked some guy friends about my concern. Some of their responses were, "Asking girls on dates is so scary!" "We get rejected all the time." "We want to hang out with the girl instead because it's just easier." I can totally understand it being scary and getting rejected but I kind of want to focus on that last point. Hanging out is just the norm nowadays. Let me explain.

Hanging Out.

Dallin H. Oaks, addressing young adults, has said, “Knowledgeable observers report that dating has nearly disappeared from college campuses and among young adults generally. It has been replaced by something called “hanging out". You young people apparently know what this is, but I will describe it for the benefit of those of us who are middle-aged or older and otherwise uninformed. Hanging out consists of numbers of young men and young women joining together in some group activity. It is very different from dating. For the benefit of some of you who are not middle-aged or older, I also may need to describe what dating is. Unlike hanging out, dating is not a team sport. Dating is pairing off to experience the kind of one-on-one association and temporary commitment that can lead to marriage in some rare and treasured cases." So as Oaks has said, he's noticed people just aren't going out on dates anymore. They are simply hanging out with each other. I have certainly seen this in the college community I live in. It's a little bit sad. I always grew up thinking I would go on cute dates with cute guys and eventually get married. Now I have to hang out with guys and hope that maybe they like me enough to want to hang out with me alone. It's honestly just weird! We are lacking that one on one association and temporary commitment that can lead to marriage. How can we fix this?

The Solution!

Ask people out on dates! I know, easier said than done, but you can do it! I believe in you. Find someone that you have an interest in, plan something they would enjoy, provide the means for it, and be responsible for them. Oh, and have fun! I know that it's scary and you might get rejected but that aspect of society is dying. We need to bring it back so that we can get to know others on a more personal level. There are people out there that are looking for someone to share a life with! We can help each other out and have it be a pleasant experience for everyone.